Everybody needs a friend. So, did we. A friend in Finland. And we found one in Markus Salo! Since we released our payment and account insights products in Finland, we’ve been searching for a way to help more Finnish companies find success with open banking. Now, he’s here! But who is the man behind this newly found friendship, you ask? Well, so did we!

Moikka, our new friend, and welcome to Finshark! Let’s start with something easy. Tell us about your role, and what made you join Finshark?

I lead the Finnish market as a sales manager and with a true hunter mentality continuously look for new companies to work with. You can also find me at numerous conferences during the year. Finshark is in an interesting phase and I’m happy to be a part of the journey!

Interesting indeed, especially as you’re not just joining Finshark, you are also starting up our office in Helsinki. How does that feel? 

It feels great! This is the third Swedish company that I have started up an office in Helsinki. Always exciting to see the company grow and hopefully also the number of employees in Finland later.

Why is it important to be present in Finland, and what’s happening in the fintech space over there?[

It is always good to have boots on the ground in different countries and cities and to be able to serve our Finnish customers in their native language. The fintech space is booming and the future looks interesting. Cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology are changing the space rapidly. FinTech start-ups are taking advantage of these advancements by developing new products and services that leverage the benefits of cryptocurrencies and blockchain. Finland has over 200 Fintech companies and the total revenue. numbers are steadily increasing.

It sounds like you like Finland, just as much as we do. Excellent! What do you like the most about your new job, then?

I have always loved the start-up culture. Surrounding yourself with like-minded people gives the most out of yourself. I feel that Finshark has a great future and I’m happy to join the journey.

How do you feel about working in fintech, is it as exciting as they say?

Every day is a fun day working in fintech. It gives you endless opportunities to do business and at the same time get to know new people.

So, what happens now? What exciting stuff are you currently working on?

With our top-notch products, all sales are exciting. What makes me excited is the possibility of offering the product to the iGaming sector.

Why do Finshark products fit the iGaming sector particularly well, would you say?

Finshark enables instant A2A payments to travel directly without unnecessary intermediates such as bank cards. Direct payments have many advantages, including reduced transaction costs, quicker settlement, and enhanced security. We are one of the industry’s most cost-efficient products for payments.

Tell us about yourself.  

I am 33 years old and born in Helsinki. I have lived in Cyprus, Malta, United Kingdom, and Estonia for ten years altogether. I was lucky enough to move to London when I was four years old. I am a huge Manchester United fan and try to travel to Manchester as often as possible to see them play at Old Trafford.

Sounds like a true globetrotter! That had me curios, tell us more about your background. What were you doing before joining Finshark?

Before joining Finshark I have worked with many interesting companies such as Groupon, Let’s Deal, Enlabs and most recently Zimpler.

How about Markus outside work? I’m guessing Old Trafford is on your list of activities? What do you like to do when you’re not busy building the future of finance?

I love to travel and see the world. Living in the north with snow and darkness half of the year I really appreciate to see the sun as often as possible.

If only there was a sunny island in the middle of the Mediterranean where one could work in the winter… Oh, well. Speaking about remote work, have you got any tips for people working remotely? 

I think it is very important to stay in close contact with your colleagues and not to forget to have small breaks during the day.

Kiitos, Markus! It’s a true honor to have you on our side, over at your side of the Baltic Sea. I can’t imagine having a better representative for the future of fintech! Before we go back to work, have you got an inspiring quote to enlighten us?

Don’t count the days, make the days count.
– Muhammad Ali

Join the open banking engine room for business successes.

Job openings
writer image

Ena Šapčanin | Head of People and Culture

Passionate HR expert focusing on talent development, employee engagement and fostering a supportive culture! Creates workplaces where individuals thrive and drives organizational success through a genuine passion for the well-being of Finshark’s teams.

Connect on LinkedIn